The Millennium Series To Become American Movies: Brad Pitt And George Clooney In The Rumors
Another international phenomenon is about to get a US remake, probably before you’ve even had a chance to catch the original. Doesn’t mean the Stateside do-over isn’t sounding tasty, though…
The biggest crowd pleaser at this year’s Frightfest was the English speaking world’s premiere of a smart, pointed thriller in theSilence of the Lambsvein, though with added politics.The Girl With the Dragon Tattoois an adaptation of the first book inStieg Larsson’s worldwide smash novel trilogyMillennium, known asMän som hatar kvinnorin its native Sweden – a title that would translate literally asMen Who Hate Women. It’s a rather apt title.
The deal for US adaptations of the book series is closing now, with Sony reported to be tying up the last loose ends of some rather complex negotiations. Things have apparently been slower than with normal rights negotiations, largely due to the sudden death of Larsson shortly before the publication of the first novel, and the ensuing entanglements when it became clear that he had neither married his common law wife or left a will; and partly due to the existence of the Swedish film versions.
Linked to the project are screenwriterSteve Zaillianand producerScott Rudin. That’s a real power player duo and they give the project a genuine whiff of Oscar even before a single word has been scripted.
Back whenwe first commentedon a possible US remake, Russ passed on news thatBrad Pittand Quentin Tarantino were supposedly interested in snapping up the rights.Anne Thompsonnow tells us that Tarantino’s agent has issued a denial, which is a great shame. She doesn’t mention Pitt, but does say thatGeorge Clooneyhas been rumoured as an interested party along the way. He’d make great casting for Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Bloom in the US?), the male lead of the series.
The female lead, Lisbeth Salender, is the series' most powerful weapon and would be a highly prized role for any actresses in range. In the Swedish films she’s played by Noomi Rapace, pictured at the head of the post, in a true starmaker of a turn. Don’t be surprised if she crosses over to have an American career – heck, she could even end up reprising the role she originated in the Swedish films for these remakes. Anne Thompson suggests Ellen Page, Kristen Stewart or Natalie Portman but I can only really see Page nailing it as already written. Who knows what Zaillian will turn Lisbeth into, though?
Here’s a mini-review from myFrightfest roundupshowing just what Rudin and Zaillian would have to live up to, or for that matter straighten out:
This 2 and a half hour adaptation of Steig Larson’s internationally best selling novel played like a good TV mystery drama in the European vein – aRebus,WallanderorSpiralas opposed toCSIorWithout a Trace, say. It wasn’t at all bad, despite being intermittently dull and oftentimes predictable. The best scenes were great though, and there’s one particularly cinematic clue with a series of sequenced photographs that reminded me of something similar inAmerican Gangster. When the film doesn’t work it’s because the adaptation is too faithful to the novel, sticking to the workings of a medium in which long strings of dialogue and verbal exposition are as welcome and functionally suitable as chunks of action.
Note my reference toAmerican Gangster, a previous adaptation with a Steve Zaillian script. Eat that, Nostradamus.
The Swedish version ofThe Girl With the Dragon Tattoohits US cinemas in March. Expect to see it on a lot of Year’s Best lists this time next year.
